Southwestern College Club Members Pledge Not to Text and DriveAT&T awards winning club $1,000

Members from 20 different student clubs at Southwestern College fanned out across the community recently to encourage people to take the pledge to not text and drive. The prize for the most pledges: $1,000 to the winning club from AT&T.
In a kick off last week, representatives from AT&T unveiled their program to Southwestern College students. Prompted by statistics that show there are more than 100,000 texting-related car crashes each year, wireless carriers have joined together to spread the “It Can Wait” message.
“We want to make texting a driving a stigma, much like drinking and driving,” said Christine Moore, spokeswoman for AT&T and organizer of last week’s event.
The five-day campaign garnered more than 1,000 pledges for the largest single event campaign in the nation, Moore said.
The winning club was the Associate Degree of Nursing Class of 2014 club. At the Southwestern College Governing Board meeting Tuesday, club President Mollie Nunn accepted a check for $1,000 from Moore and AT&T.
“On behalf of the 72 members of the club, I sincerely thank you for this donation,” Nunn said.
The funds will ensure that there will be no out-of-pocket expenses for any of the nursing graduates when they have the special ceremony where they receive their nursing pins in the spring, Nunn said.
At last week's kick-off campaign, joining AT&T representatives in taking the pledge were California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, Southwestern College Governing Board President Humberto Peraza, Jr., Southwestern College Governing Board Member Norma L. Hernandez, Southwestern College Superintendent/President Dr. Melinda Nish and a representative from Congresswoman Susan Davis’ office.
“I want to thank AT&T for being a socially responsible company,” Peraza said. “I confess, I text and drive all the time. I think I’m pretty quick and that I can get away with it. But the reality is, I can’t.”
In driving the point home, Moore asked members of the audience what their last text was. One student shouted out, “Did you fold my clothes yet?”
Moore asked, “Was that text message worth dying for?”
Students and adults attending the event Thursday signed a large pledge board and vowed to get their friends and family to take the pledge. AT&T and Southwestern College worked together to create codes for each of the participating clubs and club members told their friends to take the pledge in honor of the participating clubs.

Check Presentation: AT&T Director of External Affairs Christine Moore presents check for $1,000 to ADN Clas of 2014 Club President Mollie Nunn. Joining in the photo are members of the Southwestern College Governing Board, Superintendent/President Dr. Melinda Nish, and members of the Associated Student Organization.

Pledge reminders: Students and elected officials pledge not to text and drive. With orange ring bands as reminders are L-R: Tim Walsh, president of the Student Veteran Organization, Gabriel Douglas, Associated Student Organization Vice President of Clubs, California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, Southwestern College Governing Board President Humberto Peraza, Jr. and Southwestern College Governing Board Member Norma L. Hernandez.